Honoring Choices Wisconsin recognized by Wisconsin Cancer Council

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Released Oct. 28, 2014
Jennifer Wieman
jennifer.wieman@wismed.org, 608.442.3765

Honoring Choices Wisconsin recognized by Wisconsin Cancer Council

MADISON —Honoring Choices Wisconsin (HCW), an initiative of the Wisconsin Medical Society, was recognized with a Community Service Award during the Wisconsin Cancer Council’s (WCC) Annual Meeting Thursday, Oct. 23, in Madison. HCW staff John Maycroft, Erin Aagesen and Joyce Hart Smerick accepted the award.

“From our core quality improvement work to reaching Wisconsin citizens where they live, work, learn and play, Honoring Choices Wisconsin is changing the culture around advance care planning,” said Aagesen. “We are honored to accept this award, but we know our work is just beginning.”

WCC Chair-Elect Lauren Kosinski, MD, a cancer surgeon at the Medical College of Wisconsin, said the award acknowledges the efforts of a WCC partner organization who makes special efforts to bring evidence-based strategies to local communities.

“The Wisconsin Medical Society has made Honoring Choices Wisconsin a real priority and is already making a difference in many communities in the state,” said Dr. Kosinski.

HCW’s mission is to promote the benefits of and improve processes for advance care planning throughout the state. Since it launched in September 2012, more than 3,000 patients have engaged in conversations about their future medical decisions with facilitators trained through HCW. It now includes 22 participating health care organizations.

Through HCW, the Wisconsin Medical Society serves as a convener, coordinator and catalyst to build clinical systems based on the Respecting Choices® First Steps® model, combined with outreach in communities across the state.

With more than 12,000 members dedicated to the best interests of their patients, the Wisconsin Medical Society is the largest association of medical doctors in the state and has been a trusted source for health policy leadership since 1841. For details, visit www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org. For more information about Honoring Choices Wisconsin, visit www.honoringchoiceswi.org.